Susanne Alm1, Sara Brolin Låftman2, Julia Sandahl3, Bitte Modin4. 1. Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: Susanne.Alm@sofi.su.se. 2. Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: Sara.Brolin.Laftman@su.se. 3. Department of Criminology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: Julia.Sandahl@criminology.su.se. 4. Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: Bitte-Modin@su.se.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Future orientation (FO) refers to individuals' beliefs and feelings about their future. Earlier research has primarily investigated correlates of FO at the individual and family level, but it seems likely that FO is also shaped by other central agents or institutions, such as the school. Earlier studies have found positive associations between "school effectiveness" and student performance, and negative associations in relation to e.g., bullying, delinquency, and health risk behaviors. The current study investigated three teacher-reported features of school effectiveness - school leadership, teacher cooperation and consensus, and school ethos - and their links with student-reported FO. METHODS: Survey data were collected in 2016 among 5131 students (aged 17-18 years) and 1061 teachers in 46 upper secondary schools in Stockholm, Sweden, and merged with school-level register data. Two-level binary logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The analyses showed that higher teacher ratings of school leadership and school ethos were associated with a greater likelihood of reporting an optimistic FO among students. Teacher cooperation and consensus was however not associated with students' FO. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that the school environment contributes to shaping students' beliefs about their future. Thus, enhancing features of school effectiveness may be a way of promoting a positive development and brighter objective future prospects for the young, via pathways such as good student-teacher relations and academic motivation and achievement.
INTRODUCTION: Future orientation (FO) refers to individuals' beliefs and feelings about their future. Earlier research has primarily investigated correlates of FO at the individual and family level, but it seems likely that FO is also shaped by other central agents or institutions, such as the school. Earlier studies have found positive associations between "school effectiveness" and student performance, and negative associations in relation to e.g., bullying, delinquency, and health risk behaviors. The current study investigated three teacher-reported features of school effectiveness - school leadership, teacher cooperation and consensus, and school ethos - and their links with student-reported FO. METHODS: Survey data were collected in 2016 among 5131 students (aged 17-18 years) and 1061 teachers in 46 upper secondary schools in Stockholm, Sweden, and merged with school-level register data. Two-level binary logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The analyses showed that higher teacher ratings of school leadership and school ethos were associated with a greater likelihood of reporting an optimistic FO among students. Teacher cooperation and consensus was however not associated with students' FO. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that the school environment contributes to shaping students' beliefs about their future. Thus, enhancing features of school effectiveness may be a way of promoting a positive development and brighter objective future prospects for the young, via pathways such as good student-teacher relations and academic motivation and achievement.
Authors: Sara Brolin Låftman; Bitte Modin; Gabriella Olsson; Kristina Sundqvist; Johan Svensson; Peter Wennberg Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2020-01-30 Impact factor: 3.295